When Pastor Mark Neal of Hamilton Hills Church heard about the tragic murder-suicide of two teachers in his community, he reached out to civic leaders to see how the church could help.

FISHERS, Ind.—When Pastor Mark Neal of Hamilton Hills Church heard about the tragic murder-suicide of two teachers in his community, he reached out to civic leaders to see how the church could help.

Desiring to provide a ministry and an outreach to the community, the church presented the idea of organizing a prayer vigil. Through facilitating the prayer vigil, the church was able to show its hurting neighbors that God is the source of help in the midst of tragedy and that He has not abandoned them.

Pastor Neal says, “When helping a hurting community, we cannot offer the answers to ‘why,’ but we can grieve with our community and walk shoulder to shoulder with them through the hurt. Reaching out to a hurting community gives us the opportunity to help the unchurched around us with the hope of Jesus.”